Case Study

Literature

Delight in Lincolnshire at funding for bypass

30th November 2016

The Lincoln Eastern Bypass is to go ahead after the government confirmed its £50 million contribution to the £96.4 million project.

Construction work will begin in January on the route and will be finished in 2019. Stretching for 7.5 km between the A158 Wragby Road with the A15 roundabout at Bracebridge, it will help divert traffic away from the city centre, reducing congestion on the main central thoroughfare of Broadgate by up to 25 per cent.

The news was announced by transport secretary Chris Grayling, with the funding being confirmed by chancellor Philip Hammond in the Autumn Statement last week.

It was welcomed by the executive member for highways and transportation at Lincolnshire County Council Richard Davies, who said: "This was the final hurdle we needed to clear, and it means we’ll soon be in a position where we can finally get building.

"That will mean less congestion, better air quality and reduced journey times.

"It will also pave the way for the housing and economic developments that are vital for the county’s future prosperity."

Not everyone has been happy about the new highway. To the east of the city, residents in the villages of Reepham and Cherry Hinton have been unhappy with the prospect of the new bypass cutting off the Fiskerton Road route into Lincoln, meaning they will face longer journeys to get into the city centre.

The funding announced by Mr Grayling for the bypass takes the city closer to its eventual goal of having a complete ring road, something a southern link would complete.

Lincoln's new bypass is just one of the new transport projects receiving government funding from the Autumn Statement.

Major local schemes that will receive funding include east-west crossings over the Tees Valley, the A1079/A164 Jock’s Lodge Junction in the East Riding of Yorkshire, the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road, Warrington Waterfront Western Link, Suffolk Energy Gateway New Road and new trams in Sheffield.

Money will also be used to push ahead with the New Tees Crossing, the upgrading of the A500 in Cheshire to a dual carriageway, the Coventry South Link Road, the Melton Mowbray Eastern Distributor road, plus the Sheffield Innovation Corridor and the Manchester Metrolink Airport link.